The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has begun the new fiscal year with a calibrated pause, keeping the repo rate unchanged at 5.25 per cent in its April Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. The decision, taken unanimously, reflects a shift from aggressive policy action to cautious observation after a significant easing cycle in 2025. Over the past year, the RBI redu
Traditionally, India’s tourism policy has been based on three main components: the number of visitors, building tourist attractions and providing facilities for tourists. Due to the increase in climate-related issues and environmental destruction that occurred over previous years, policymakers have been challenged with this solution. A new perspective on the future of tourism is available
On April 8, hours after warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight,” US president Donald Trump, exhibiting his unique style of retreating from high-voltage brinkmanship, announced that he agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran. The weekend talks in Islamabad have failed and the future of the conflict remains uncertain. Meanwhile, the whole world is waiting for the reopeni
There is a moment every event professional knows—the kind that arrives without warning, usually an hour before the curtain rises. Months of meticulous planning are in place. And then comes the call: “We’ll also need a projector. For the slides.” No email trail. No prior mention. Just five words and a room full of expectation. &nbs
India’s macroeconomic narrative is quietly shifting—from a rare “Goldilocks” equilibrium of stable growth and contained inflation to a more fragile phase where external shocks are beginning to dominate domestic policy outcomes. The numbers still look reassuring at first glance: GDP growth hovering around 6–6.5%, inflation broadly within the 4±2% target band.
The story of labour law in India is not just about laws and codes, but also about how the nation has continued to negotiate the position of the workforce within its economic framework. The implementation of the Labour Codes across the country in November 2025 marks a definitive endpoint in the process. Yet it also prompts a deeper reflection: whether the reform has increased protection or merel
There is a strip of water barely 33 kilometres wide between Iran and Oman that connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world`s oceans. For most of India`s history, it was a distant geographic fact. Since late February, it has been a kitchen problem. The Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says a fifth of the world`s oil passes through i
As tensions rise between Iran and Israel, the potential for ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has driven global energy markets very unstable. With crude prices climbing towards $140 per barrel, the world is facing its most significant oil shock since 1973. However, the response to the headline question is more complex than alarmist views imply. A global
As the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meets from April 6–8 — its first review in FY26 — it confronts a complex and unusually conflicting macroeconomic backdrop. Inflation has eased more sharply than expected, opening the door for further rate cuts. Yet, a weakening rupee, sustained foreign outflows, and global trade disruptions complicate t
What does it mean to guarantee work in rural India today? Is it simply a question of providing temporary wage support during periods of distress, or can public employment serve as a foundation for building durable livelihoods and resilient villages? These questions come to the fore with the enactment of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, which propos
Semiconductors are the backbone of the modern world. They power everyday technology and reflect the scope of innovation. For countries like India, this makes semiconductors more than just an industry; they are a pathway to technological sovereignty. However, this rapid growth also highlights a clear tradeoff between technological advancement and environmental sustainability.
The anticipated implementation of the India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) around April 2026 marks a pivotal moment in the economic relationship between two historically connected yet strategically evolving economies. Signed on July 24, 2025, this agreement is not merely a tariff-reduction exercise, it is a comprehensive framework aimed at deepening trade integration, unlocking sectoral op
Walk through the narrow lanes near any temple in India, and you will notice something interesting. In the market there, a bangle seller, sitting on a small stool, reads customers better than most trained professionals. He knows who will return, who is just browsing, and who needs a small push to buy. He rotates his stock smartly, throws in a freebie when needed, and even adjusts his pricing dep
India is widely celebrated as one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies, with strong domestic consumption, a booming digital sector, and rising global influence. Yet, beneath this optimistic narrative lies a structural vulnerability that continues to shape the country’s economic trajectory: its heavy dependence on imported oil. In an era marked by geopolitical tensions and
The maiden public issue of NHAI-sponsored Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT) listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) Tuesday in the presence of union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari. The listing marks a key step in the Government of India’s asset monetisation strategy. Under the national monetisation pipeline (NMP-1), the Ministry
India set itself an extraordinary deadline. While the rest of the world aimed to eliminate tuberculosis by 2030, India said it would do it by 2025, five years ahead of the global target. That deadline has now passed. We are in 2026, and tuberculosis is still the leading infectious disease killer in this country. The question worth asking on World TB Day is not just whether we missed the target,
The Supreme Court’s recent suo motu intervention in the street dog issue has reignited a complex debate at the intersection of law, public health and animal welfare. While India’s policy framework aligned with global scientific standards emphasises sterilisation and vaccination, its implementation remains deeply flawed due to inadequate funding, weak monitoring, and limited inst
By integrating sustainability with financial returns, solar energy is gradually reshaping the way homeowners and developers perceive property investments. Traditionally, property value has been determined by factors such as location, design, connectivity, and infrastructure. However, as energy costs continue to rise and sustainability becomes a global priority, energy-efficient features are eme
The Ministry of Consumer Affairs’ recent notification tightening rules for online retail by mandating searchable, sortable “country of origin” filters for packaged commodities sold on e-commerce platforms is a small but significant nudge toward a fairer digital marketplace. The amendment to the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 (“LMPC Rules”) makes
The 2026 Union Budget highlights the necessity of making scientific agricultural research more accessible to farmers in India. The announcement of Bharat- VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources), a multilingual AI tool for farmers to increase agricultural productivity, indicates this. The tool will integrate data from the state-wise Agristack portals with ICAR&rsq
